Reynabeth the begining of something new
by Sparring Woodpecker
Summary: Set after the seven defeat Gaia (cos we all know they will) Reyna and Annabeth are finally able to realise their feelings for one another.
1. Chapter 1

"You fell into Tartarus with _Percy_?" Reyna asks me, a tension separating us as physical as the desk cluttered with papers. I don't know if it's disbelief in her voice or something else. I nod, remaining silent as I wait for the Praetor to speak. It struck me that this is the only question Reyna has asked me about our adventures, the way the seven demi-gods of the prophecy defeated Gaia.

"You could have died." Reyna says, attempting to hide the emotion in her voice. Silence settles between us again.

"Jason would have been willing to resume praetorship had Percy died."

"I don't care about Percy, Annabeth!" Reyna nearly shouts, forcefully standing up and sending the chair cluttering to the floor. Her metal dogs Argentum and Aurum twitch uneasily but don't move to attack or bark. She's telling the truth.

"Annabeth" Reyna says softly, walking around the desk. "I'm sorry for my outburst."

"There's nothing to forgive. You must have been under a lot of pressure and stress, having to hold the fort here by yourself and mot being able to help the seven succeed."

"Not just that…" Reyna says as she pauses in front of me. Our eyes meet for the merest of moments before her eyes fall from mine. "How are you and Percy?" She asks cheerfully but I notice how her gaze is fixed above my eyes and how she strains to say Percy's name. I don't really know why I feel so nervous answering this question, I get asked it a lot. It's just Reyna…

"We had a lot of time together, to talk. We, we realised that we are very different people. That that's what makes us so close. But… he and I are great friends, the best of friends. We've been through so much together, nothing will ever change that, and I love him" I hear Reyna's breath catch "but he's not who I want to be with, and I'm not who he wants to be with. Not really." Reyna's breathing relaxes but I swiftly continue before she can interrupt, say how sorry she is, that's not what I want to hear from her. "Camp put pressures on people. To act a certain way; to feel a certain way; to be a certain way. It puts pressures on who you can be with. Maybe you've experienced some of that. You're Praetor, New Rome expected you to love Jason, to be romantically entangled with him. But he didn't want that, and neither do you." I wait for Reyna to deny it, she doesn't.

"Maybe, daughter of Bellona, we are more similar than you think." I stand and face Reyna, a foot away from her. She breathes out heavily.

"I-I'm not s-sure I-I know what you m-mean." Reyna stammers causing Argentum to bark. I raise my eyebrow and smirk, Reyna blushes.

"Maybe we should… Argentum, Aurum, stay!" Reyna commands before leading me out of a door into her private quarters.

"I trust you Annabeth."

"And I you." I took a step closer to her, reaching my hand out, I stroked the tattoos on her arm. I trace them lightly with my finger, looking at her arm as she shivers, maybe from the cold of my finger, perhaps from…

"Did it hurt?" I ask not looking at Reyna.

"No." Reyna breathes before breathing in, I think she's smelling my hair. I turn my face up, I look deep into her beautiful brown eyes. I link my fingers with hers on the side that she has her tattoo, my other hands rests on her shoulder. Reyna bites her lip, a strand of loose black hair curls to touch her lips appealingly.

"Daughter of Miner- Athena, Annabeth. You're more beautiful than the daughters of Venus."

"That pick up line worked before?" I ask teasingly, aware of our faces being mere cm's apart.

"Never used a pick up line before."

"So has this never happened before?" I ask smiling as I close the distance between us and place a sweet kiss on her lips. She slowly smiles, a stunned but ecstatic smile. She leans back in and returns my kiss, soft lips on my own, before hugging me.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted this." Reyna murmurs.

"Since I met you?" I smirk, she pokes her tongue out.

"Wise girl."

"Shuddup, just kiss me you sexy Praetor." Reyna raises a querying eyebrow but bows to my demand anyway.

REYNA'S POV

Annabeth kissed me! And I kissed her! And… I don't even know. Words are no longer enough. I feel like I'm on fire. My world is spinning. I grip tightly to Annabeth, afraid that I'll fall over but Annabeth's strong arms surround me, support me, hold me close. I melt into the kiss, my first, well I suppose second. When we break apart I smile widely, Annabeth mirrors me, her teeth sparkling.

"Sexy Praetor?" I ask.

"Yeah, I got stuck on a nickname." Annabeth admitted sheepishly.

"Some daughter of Athena you are." I scoff.

"Well I haven't had much practice either. I called Percy Seaweed Brain, which is what I've been calling him for years."

"Well you've had more practice than me, and it shows. You knew exactly what you were doing, I just fumbled my way through that kiss."

"Didn't seem like it to me. That was the best feeling ever. So have you never kissed anyone before?" I shake my head and Annabeth embraces me warmly and lightly grazes my neck with her lips. We remain like that, locked in each others arms for ages, maybe twenty minutes, occasionally dipping our heads to plant a kiss on each others necks, nuzzling into shoulders.

"How long have you felt like this?" I ask.

"What, how long have I liked you? Or how long have I been into girls?" I let Annabeth answer both. "I realised I missed you soon after we left New Rome. I'd missed Percy before, I felt like it was the worse feeling in the world, but I missed you more. When I got Percy back it just wasn't the same, it was never real, the attraction I felt, but you… It was a long journey and I had a lot of time to think. As for how long I've been into girls, I suppose since I was quite young, I adored Thalia and Luke. Around the time Thalia came back, I must have been about twelve, thirteen, I realised that I had liked her a good deal more than how I should look at friends. I only dated Percy because I felt that that was normal and that was what everyone expected. How about you?"

"Annabeth, seriously, I grew up in a resort of all women that stood for females being great and males being guinea pigs, you seriously thought that didn't influence me? Hylla, you met her, she hates men. I was younger, less affected, I didn't freak at the sight of guys, I could talk to them, but I had no attraction to them. I never acted on my feelings because I'm roman, strong, independent, Praetor. But you…" I trail off and smile at Annabeth, running a hand through her silky blonde hair. I kiss her gently at the corner of her mouth, then the other corner, finally we share a kiss.

"Are irresistible, not to be missed, hot?" Annabeth continued my sentence for me.

"Big head." I respond pretending to hit her in the arm, but really only tapping her. I leave my hand on her arm, run it down. I grab her waist and pull her to me for an impassioned kiss. She licks my lower lip and I automatically allow her access to my mouth, not caring enough to even attempt to dominate the kiss. No fight, just a sigh as I allow Annabeth to take over, so calm, so assured, so dominating.

"Have you kissed a girl before?" I ask out of curiosity, Annabeth seemed confidant and at ease.

"Yes." She admits blushing slightly, making her look irresistibly cute. "Rachel our oracle a couple of years ago. It was more of a hate-slash-anger kiss. Then she turned all pure and virginal servant of Apollo." Annabeth glances at the clock on my wall as if she's lived in this room all her life. She untangles her limbs from mine. "I need to get ready for the celebrations." I'd forgotten about that, the feast and the party to celebrate the seven's success. I clutch her hand as she backs away to the door, she kisses me once before leaving me hanging in the doorway staring after her disappearing figure.


	2. and it continues,2

ANNABETH'S POV

I leave knowing that I need time to get back to the guest houses in New Rome and get ready in my o-so-fetching toga. I wonder how the daughters of Venus cope. It's not like I really mind the togas, they can look ok on the right person and they're really modest but they take forever to put on.

Now I'm not boasting but I'm clever, and if I struggle with them then just imagine Seaweed Brain, or better yet Leo! He may be good at making and fixing things but I don't think fashions his forte. Fortunately Piper and I agreed to help each other, once I find my way back. I wind through the streets, dodging people bustling about hurrying to finish last minute preparations for the celebration. I find the guest house I'm staying in with Piper, Leo's next door. Frank and Hazel are back with the fifth cohort, Jason with whatever cohort his is (was it fifth as well?) And Percy's in a room somewhere near Reyna's as he's still Praetor.

I'm not sure what's going to happen about that, technically if not for Hera Jason would still be Praetor and Percy isn't even Roman. For once I like Hera, she's managed to do something I agree with. Sure we could have killed each other but if she hadn't swapped the two guys I'd never have met Reyna.

I hadn't expected that to happen, the kiss, I just stopped thinking (that's a bit scary, I always think and plan and strategize) I thought she'd hit me, at best, I'd also contemplated her drawing her imperial gold dagger on me. I didn't expect her to kiss me back; I didn't expect to kiss her in the first place.

I enter the room to find Piper struggling to wrap the toga around herself, she wore denim shorts and a loose t-shirt underneath, togas may have been modest but you never know.

"You took your time!" She huffs "Oh my Gods!" She exclaims excitedly, I just stand in the doorway waiting for her to explain. "You spent _forever _with Reyna. Please say you didn't _just_ _talk _the whole time?" I blush. Piper pulls me to sit down next to her on her bed. "Tell me everything!" She commands with a hint of charmspeak that I know is accidental.

Piper's been aware for a while that I'm into girls, she caught me checking out one of the Aphrodite girls from afar, then she tried subtly hinting that she knew, well I say subtly… We got quite close, she's not completely shallow and air headed like some of her siblings _COUGH_*Drew*_COUGH._ So naturally with her ability to pick up on peoples feelings he found out I fancied Reyna, she even gave me a few tips.

"We, well I, talked for a while; she wanted to know about the quest. And then she asked me about Percy, so I told her we'd broken up and that maybe we were quite alike and, things went from there."

"Went were?" Piper excitedly clutches my hand.

"Just a kiss or few." I say a smile unstoppable on my face. "Now help me get my toga on."

REYNA'S POV

I slip into my toga, a deep purple robe to show my status, the guests of honour, the seven, will also be wearing purple but a bit lighter. I can't stop thinking of Annabeth, her beautiful blonde hair with soft waves, her stormy grey eyes staring into my soul so lovingly, her lips on mine. I touch my lips remembering her touch, her taste, her dominance.

It was even better than my deepest, and sometimes darkest, fantasies and nothing had really happened. I'd just melted. I want to hold her again, and be held by her. I glance at my bed, which is large enough for two, and imagine what it would be like to wake up next to her every morning, in her arms, her hair tousled, and her eyes bleary with sleep. I ache for it. Tonight she'll be in a toga, I can imagine she'll look hot in a toga; then again Annabeth could probably look hot in a sack in the Arctic. And I'll have to be good, strong, noble Praetor who keeps her hands to herself. I feel myself frown, but that won't do. I stand in front of the mirror to do my make-up and do my hair. I take it out of it's braid and brush it into place. I'm going to wear my having loose and wavy and if Annabeth can't keep her eyes (or hands, or mouth, or anything else) off of me then so be it.

ANNABETH'S POV

I make my way to the courtyard where the celebrations are being held. I'm fuming. Percy just cornered me, I waved Piper on. Maybe I hadn't exactly told Reyna the truth about the breakup. I was the driving force behind it.

"Annabeth, please. We can still see each other. I love you." He pulled puppy dog eyes but I ignored them.

"No Percy, you love Nico!" I snapped.

"I love you too." I sighed heavily.

"I told you Percy, just because you bat both ways doesn't mean everyone does. I told you, I thought you understood what it meant when I told you I was a lesbian."  
"You didn't mean it. You love me Annabeth, I know you do."

"As a friend. Besides I've already said you want Nico. And you know I like Reyna."

"She won't mind sharing, neither will Nico when I get him. And I know you've done something with Reyna, she was way to happy when I saw her after your 'talk'"

"Percy, I'm sorry to be harsh but I don't want to be shared. I never loved you, not in that way, not really. I just convinced myself that it was right and I was straight and you were just the closest guy to me. I'm sorry you were collateral damage Percy." I pushed my way past him before he could say any more.

I enter the courtyard which is set up for a banquet. I'm ushered to a seat. Percy takes his place at Reyna's side. I can't help staring at her; she must know she looks stunning, gorgeous, fabulous, need I go on? I eat and let the conversation wash over me as I watch Percy trying it on with Reyna. He thinks that if he can get Reyna then he'll get me too. Reyna gently avoids his advances at first before lightly declining them. As the meal goes on her face darkens. Percy places a hand under the table and Reyna jumps back as though a hellhound has just landed in her lap. I stand quickly, I notice Piper out of the corner of my eye looking confused as I make my way to the Praetors table.

"Is anything the matter Praetors?" I ask innocently but shoot daggers at Percy as Reyna inches further away from him.

"No, no Annabeth. It'll all be fine if you just come to my room." Luckily everyone's still talking and hasn't heard what my sleaze ball of an Ex just said.

"You don't stand a daisy's chance in the underworld Jackson." I snarl before turning to Reyna concern in my eyes. "Praetor, when is the dancing to begin?"

"N-now." She stammers still backing away from Percy and towards me.

REYNA'S POV

I can't believe Percy, my fellow Praetor, tried to touch me up! I make my excuses to leave the dance as soon as I feasibly can. I run to my quarters and bolt the door in case Percy gets any more ideas. I lie on my bed and tears begin to leak out of my eyes just as I hear a soft knock, a soft voice whispers my name through the door. It's Annabeth. I thought I wanted to be alone; I didn't want anyone to see me in my weakness. But I crave Annabeth.

Without making a conscious decision I'm unbolting the door and letting Annabeth in. She bolts the door behind her before turning to look at me. She leans in and slowly kisses me, breath hot on my lips as her thumbs wipe away my tears, caress my face. It's hard to stay sad when she's here. It's also hard to hide myself under my shield of strength and honour.

Annabeth seems to know what I want; she leads me to the bed and holds me tightly against her. My breathing slows and I feel my eyes start to close. I match my breathing to hers and it sends me to sleep like a lullaby.


End file.
